Now, three months and $5,000 later, the pooch is finally home.
Violet, a shy Corgi mix, took off after being spooked by a skunk and didn't come back.
As time went on and Violet remained missing her owner, Terri Zack, says she never gave up hope.
"Everyone said no, she's gone, but I said until I see there's a body I think she's okay. She's out there and we're going to get her back," she said.
Terri was desperate to locate Violet and went so far as to hire a search-and-rescue team from Texas...and even a psychic!
"That psychic said that she felt Violet was alive and that was the thread I needed to hold on," Terri said.
Also on the case were Sylvia O'Connell and her husband Al Adamcyzak of Brick, N.J. who run a company called "Lost Pets Found." They covered miles of land with their tracking dog Sadie, and even picked up Violet's scent, but still couldn't find her.
"It was the toughest case we ever worked. She became my phantom dog," said O'Connell.
After wandering Ocean County for 2 and a half months, finally last Friday Violet was found at the Ocean Co. Landfill in Manchester Twp.
She was lured into a trap with two crispy drumsticks.
"She hasn't been in warmth for 11 weeks so I guess a hot meal for a change was a little more than she could take," said Adamcyzak.
The search for Violet has cost Terri Zack $5000. That's a lot of money to spend on a dog she barely even knew--but Terri says she has no regrets.
"It was money well spent. It was the best money I've ever spent, she said. "I adopted Violet from a gassing shelter in South Carolina, I promised I was going take care of her, save her life."
And now it seems--with some help from others-- she's done that twice.
